Dvadasha Lingatobhadra Mandalam

Used in the worship of Lord Shiva

Worship of Lakshmi Devi on Dhana Trayodashi

Once Lord Vishnu along with  Lakshmi Devi came to the bhumandala to visit the mrityuloka. Lord asked Lakshmi Devi to stay back while he proceeded in the southern direction. Bored, Lakshmi Devi started wandering and found a sugar cane field. She broke a piece of sugar cane and started chewing it.

By this time, Lord Vishnu returned and was annoyed at the mischief of Lakshmi Devi. He cursed her saying that she would spend the next thirteen years serving at the field of the farmer. With Lakshmi Devi at his service ( which he didn't realize), the farmer got all the riches in the world.

Twelve years went by and Lord Vishnu came back in disguise to get Lakshmi Devi, but the farmer refused to give away his best maid. 

The lord gave the farmer a conch shell and asked him to go take a dip at Ganga along with his family after offering the conch shell to the holy river. While doing this Ganga devi appeared before him and informed that the couple back home were none other than Lord Vishnu and Lakshmi Devi. He was also told that if Lakshmi Devi goes back he will lose all his wealth.

The farmer came back and prayed that the goddess stay with him forever. Lord Vishnu told him about the curse and it was not possible for Devi to stay anymore with him.

Then Devi told him that if he wanted to stay rich, he should worship her during the night of Trayodashi every year by lighting a lamp of ghee. She would be present wherever such worship is done and bless with prosperity and abundance.

Dhanvantari Jayanti

Krishna paksha trayodashi of Karthika masa (today) is observed as Dhanvantari Jayanti. On this day, Lord Dhanvantari appeared with a pot containing amritha from the milky ocean.

Worship of Lord Dhanvantari on this day is highly auspicious for good health and longevity.

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Know Vedic Gods - Vayu

Vayu or Vata is the God of wind. Vayu  presides over antariksha and is often associated with Indra and the rain god Pajanya. He moves around in a shiny chariot drawn by a pair of crimson colored horses. He is fond of soma and is its protector.

He blesses with  fame, offspring and wealth.  He also disperses foes and protects the weak. He heals and prolongs life.

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Adhikamasa

Adhikamasa is the mechanism of inserting an extra lunar month to synchronize the lunar and solar calenders.

Duration of a lunar month = 29 days, 12 hrs, 44 minutes

For 12 months these add up to 354 days, 9hrs..

A solar year is 365 days, 5 hrs and 49 minutes long.

That means every year, the lunar calender would lag behind by 10.896 days and this difference would exceed 30 days every three years.

To compensate for this difference an adhikamasa is inserted.

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Know vedic gods - Maruts

Maruts are the storm gods.. They are a group, one hundred and eighty in number.They are the sons of Rudra and Prisni. They are all of the same age and are always together.  The goddess Rodasi always moves around with them. They wear golden headgear, golden axes, lightening like spears, bows and arrows and golden ornaments.

The thunder and the roaring of the wind are noises made by the Maruts. They cause the mountains to tremble and like wild elephants devour the forests.They are associated with rains especially the thunderstorm and are said to cover the eye of the sun during such rains causing darkness.

They are playful as children and at the same time fierce and terrible as lions.They strengthen Indra's power. They are prayed to so that the worshipers are not subjected to their wrath in the form of the form of thunder and storm.

They provide the healing power to water.

Know vedic Gods - Ashvins

The name literally means horsemen (not riders, but charioteers). They are inseparable twins, associated with light and appear between the dawn and sunrise. It is the deity Ushas (dawn) that awakens them. They follow her in their chariot and drive  away the evil spirits. They are sons of Dyou (heaven).

They are young in age (kumaras), handsome and have got a golden luster. They adorn lotus garlands and their path is golden in color. Being the divine healers possessing magical power, they rescue men from disease and distress. They are also associated with restoration of youth and eyesight.

A suktam addressed to them goes like this -

Night, the sister of dawn hastens far away from her and prepares a pathway for the crimson colored God. We invoke you, Ashvins abundant in kine and horses.

We are the pious ones. come to us in your speeding chariots, give us riches and relieve us from disease and weakness.

Protect us during day and night as you approach us in the dawn.

With your three seated chariot, you approach us and nurture us.

You both released Chyavana from old age, rescued Atri from distress and darkness and placed Jahusha in freedom

To you is offered this praise, bless us ever more with your protection.

Some tips if you are planning to conceive

f you want your child to be healthy and become a good human being, here are some tips from  jyotishastra and dharmasastra.

1. The first three nights from marriage are forbidden for maithuna and also the fifth night.

Based on horoscope and panchangam

2. Avoid Kanya rasi for conception lagna.

3.Avoid nakshatras - Bharani, Ardra, Aslesha, Krittika, Purva Phalguni, Jyeshta, Purvashada, Purva Bhadrapada, Vishakha.

4. Moon in lagna and Sukra in 7th are favorable.

5.Avoid the second half of the months, Karkataka, Dhanus, Kumbha and Meena ( in sauramana).

6. Avoid janma naskatra and the 2 anujanmas for both husband and wife.

7. Avoid chaturthi, ashtami,navami, ekadashi,dvadashi (harivasara period), chaturdashi, amavasya, purnima ,sankranthi, eclipses and ashtaka kala. Maithuna on these days will cause debility in the quality of the sperm and various other repercussions including childlessness in the  future births.

8. At the time of conception, the moon should be ideally traversing the 3rd, 6th, 10th or 11th rasis from the husband's janma rasi with benefic aspects from Guru and Sukra. 

 9. Maithuna should be strictly avoided during vows and wherever brahmacharya is prescribed such as on days when pitrukarya is done.

The tithis and nakshatras at the time of maithuna should be taken into consideration and not at sunrise.

Based on the menstrual cycle

10. Avoid maithuna itself in the first four nights of menstruation. This will cause debility in sperm quality.

11. If the menstruation starts when moon is traversing the 3rd, 6th, 10th or 11th rasis from the janma rasi  of the wife,avoid conceiving in that cycle. The ovum will not be healthy in such cycles.

How to find this ?

Start counting from your janma rasi taking that as the 1st. Identify the 3rd, 6th, 10th and 11th rasis from there. Find out which nakshatras come under these rasis. Find out the nakshatra of the 1st day of menstruation from the panchangam

12. Starting from the 5th night from the 1st day of menstruation till the 16th night is the fertile period.

13.The conception should happen during night only. A child conceived during day may develop undesirable character and vices.

14.Conceiving on the 11th and 13th nights from the first day of menstruation should be avoided at any cost.Conception on the 11th night will lead to birth of a female child of loose character. A child born out of conception in the 13th night will be female and will be constantly engaged in committing various sins.

15. The 7th night from the first day of menstruation should also be avoided as the child born thus is likely to be short lived.

16. Those desirous of a male child should try and conceive on the 6th, 8th,10th,12th,14th or 16th nights from the 1st day of menstruation.  

17. Those desirous of a female child should conceive on the 5th, 9th or 15th nights.

18.The couple should be  relaxed, peaceful, joyful and strongly desirous of having a progeny at the time of conception. They should possess only noble thought during these days as it will have great impact on the child to be born.

No wonder we have too many bad people around us these days !!!!!! 

Names of Vedic months

Madhu - chaitra
Madhava - vaishakha
Shukra - jyeshta
Shuchi - Aashaadha
Nabha - shraavana
Nabhasya - bhaadrapada
Isha - Aasvayja
Urja - Kartika
Saha - margasheersha
Sahasya - pousha
Tapa - magha
Tapasya  - phalguna

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Five important avataras of Lord Shiva

A day of Brahma is called Kalpa, which is equal to 432 crores of human years. We are now into the 51st kalpa called Shvetavarahakalpa. These avataras of Lord Shiva were in the previous kalpas as follows.

Sadyojaata

In Shveta Lohita kalpa Lord Shiva took  avatara as Sadyojaata from the body of Brahma.

Vamadeva

In the  kalpa  called Rakta, Lord Shiva took avatara as Vamadeva and he was red in colour.

Tatpurusha

This avatara was in the kalpa called Peetavaasa  He wears yellow clothes in this avatara.

Aghora

In the  kalpa called Shiva, the avatara of Aghora, black in colour took place.

Ishana

This avatara was in the Vishvaroopa Kalpa.

The five important mantras of Lord Shiva are based on these avataras.

Sadyojaatam prapadyami...., Vamadevaya namo......, Tatpurushaya vidmahe....., Aghorebhyo...., Ishanassarvavidyaanaam....

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